


The Day Ben Hanscom Never Really Forgot

by Maidenjedi



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:15:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maidenjedi/pseuds/Maidenjedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben and Bev get an afternoon alone.  Almost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Day Ben Hanscom Never Really Forgot

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ninety6tears](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninety6tears/gifts).



It wasn't often that any of them spent the day alone, and sure, Eddie had been there for all of an hour in the morning, but Ben was still surprised none of the others had shown up. It was already after one, going by the sun and the growl in his stomach. Lunch had been a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, eaten before it was even eleven in the morning, and he had only packed candy, thinking the others would have something to share.

Oh well, he thought, going for another chocolate kiss. Richie was sure to be along, he never missed a day this nice, and they could go for ice cream or something. In the meantime, Ben had the new _Archie_ and a stack of unread _Superman_ books, and it was a pleasant day. He was staying.

A voice, a girl's voice, broke through his concentration.

“Hey!”

Ben jumped, comics and chocolate candy flying. His heart was in his throat. 

Bev came running over, laughing. “Hey.”

God, she was beautiful. “Jesus! Bev!” She’d startled him. _Scared him_. He was kind of pissed.

But he wasn’t.

“Didn’t mean to surprise you. Are you here alone? Where is…where are the guys?”

Her eyes darted around, looking for him. Ben felt his heart sink just a little, except he was here, with Bev, and he was not. She finally stopped looking around and focused just on him.

“They’re all busy for a while longer. Eddie was here this morning but his mom….”

“Probably wanted him home to ward off another chill or something.”

“Something like that.”

She shrugged. “Just us, then. Whatcha reading?”

He bent over, trying desperately to keep his pants from rolling down and embarrassing them both, and picked up the _Archie_ issue he’d been reading. He handed it to her.

“Ooo, is this the new one?”

He nodded. 

“Wanna read it together? We can do Voices – I do a mean Veronica.”

Ben laughed, and they sat down together. Ben gave Bev the bigger share of the blanket he’d brought, which meant his jeans would be mud-stained and his mother would yell, but that was just fine by him. The chocolate was a lost cause, but he had some taffy in the bag he’d brought and they split that. Bev put her feet in Ben's lap and laid back, holding the book up to block the sun as she read her share. 

And Bev did do a mean Veronica, and when she laughed, eyes closed in mirth, Ben watched the curve of her throat and the way her hair splayed out over the blanket and the grass behind it, and shone in the sun, and figured he could die right then and be happy.

They spent the entire afternoon together, reading comics, and heading into town for sodas before Bev had to head home. As they walked, Bev put her arm through Ben's and they remained linked that way for several unforgettable blocks. 

The others never showed. 

As Bev walked away, Ben waved and resisted the absurd urge to blow her a kiss. When his mother chewed him out for the mud on his jeans, he told her it'd been done for a good cause.

-

As Bev read a feud for Archie's heart aloud, her Veronica going high-pitched and sarcastic, and Ben laughing in appreciation, a pair of eyes watched them from barely thirty feet away. Close enough to smell them, hear their heartbeats.

_Soon_ , It promised. _Soon._


End file.
